Method of preparing asbestos fiber for insulating purposes.



. L. OWEN METHOD OF PREPARING ASBESTOS FIBER FOR INSULATING PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1909.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY H. L. OWEN.

METHOD OF PREPARING ASBESTOS FIBER FOR INSULATING PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20,1909.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

INVENTOR Harry -Owen WITNESSES:

BY 0%. mg ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY L. OWEN, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF PREPARING ASBESTOS FIBER FOR INSULATING PURPOSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

Application filed January 20, 1909. Serial No. 473,245.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY L. OWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Preparing Asbestos Fiber for Insulating Purposes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a method of preparing asbestos fiber to facilitate its application to conductors for insulating the same. In the method at present employed the asbestos fiber is applied directly to the wire as received from the carding machine but this is found to be very unsatisfactory owing to its flocculent nature, it being hard to support it in conveying it to the wire from the carding machine.

It is a well known fact that asbestos fiber as delivered from the carding machine is in the proper flocculent state for insulating purposes without combining it with any binding material, such as cotton or sizing. The purpose of adding these materials is to furnish suflicient tensile strength to hold the fibers together during the process of applying it to the wire. This binding material is very detrimental to its intended use since it destroys to a certain extent its insulating qualities.

By my novel method I am able to receive the asbestos fiber from the carding machine upon a suitable temporary backing upon which it is conveyed in the same state as delivered by the dofier rolls. It thus retains its flocculent state and by this same means a bobbin is formed which may be stored for future use or inserted directly into the wire covering machine for application to the wire without the use of any other strengthening material and without in any way injuring the qualities of the fiber. It is in its most perfect state without having been made into loose twine or recarded.

it-h this and other objects in view my invention consists in the method of preparing asbestos fiber for use as an insulating covering as will be fully described in the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like figures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all the views.

Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of the delivery end of myv machine taken on the line w.a2 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4 shows a detailed sectional view of the delivery comb and the tape reels or bobbins; Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the same; Fig. 6 is a partial end view of the reel spindle or spool; Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of the same on the line g of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that I have shown my invention as applied to the delivery end of the usual type of carding machine, the carding drum of which is indicated at 1, and the last pair of working rolls is indicated at 2. Below each of said working rolls are placed the parallel sets of doifer wheels 3 which complete the delivery mechanism of the ordinary carding machine.

lVhile I have here shown my novel mechanism for receiving and temporarily retaining the fiber as applied to both of the sets of dofler wheels which are set in a dodged relation to each other so as to receive the fiber from the entire length of the main drum 1, it will only be necessary to describe one set, as the same description will apply to two or more sets, as will be readily understood.

In the rear of the set of doffer wheels 3 I place an eccentric or cam shaft 4 which by its rotation imparts a reciprocating motion to the combs 5 mounted upon the shaft, one

comb being supplied to cooperate with each of the do-fi'er wheels. On a lower plane adjacent to said combs 5 is rotatably mounted an idle roller 6 over which the tapes 20, which are of any suitable material, such as cloth or paper, are drawn, while below said roller 6 is mounted another idle roller 7.

My novel tape wheels are made up of the hollow hub or spindle 8 having its end reduced in diameter to form a shoulder for receiving the removable disks or flanges 9 which are held in place by the circular nuts 10. These nuts are screw-threaded upon the ends of the spindle 8 and are formed with grooves 11 on the periphery thereof. The peripheries of these flanges 9 rest upon the idle roller 7 and the reels are detachably retained in place by the tension of the springs 12 secured to the cross bar 13 which forms a part of the supporting frame of the carding machine. The springs 12 are curved at their outer ends and designed to engage with and travel in grooves 11 on the reel spindle, thus detachably retaining the reels and allowing them to be rotated as the tape is unwound therefrom. Springs 12 are placed in proper position to retain a tape reel opposite every doffer wheel. To the rear of the combs 5 I provide another set of tape reels of the same construction. Under said second set is journaled the shaft 14 upon which are keyed or otherwise secured the friction driving wheels 15 designed to run in contact with the tape 20 between the flanges 9 ofthe winding wheels for revolving said reels and winding the tape thereon. These winding reels are detachably retained in place by the tension of springs 16 mounted upon the cross bar 17. It will thus be seen that the roll of tap-e 20 having been secured in place by the tension springs 12 and its outer roll brought up over the roller 6 and thence to the reel running on friction pulley 15, said tape will be wound upon the winding reel by the action of the friction wheel 15 in direct contact therewith. This friction wheel is bolted to the corresponding friction wheel of the set and is driven by the belt 18 on a suitable pulley placed elsewhere upon the carding machine. As the tape 20 is thus transferred from one roll to the other the combs 5 are reciprocated by the revolution of the shaft 4 which is driven by the belt 19 from the shaft 14 and by their action they comb the asbestos fiber from the doffer wheels 3 down upon the traveling tape. The tape with the asbestos fiber upon it being Wound upon itself upon the winding reel the asbestos fiberis thus preserved in the same state as received from the doifer rolls 3. The fiber is thus retained and protected by the successive wraps of said tape 20 which serves as a temporary backing Copies of this patent may be obtained for therefor and which when filled can be transferred to a suitable wire covering machine for application to the wire and when emptied of the fiber can be returned to the carding machine for refilling as heretofore shown.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that any width of the tape can be employed and that the asbestos fiber will be deposited thereon in a perfectly even state. The thickness of the deposit upon the tape may be regulated by the speed at which the tape is made to travel.

While I have described my invention as being carried on in a specific manner and with certain specified apparatus, in accord ance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The method of preparing asbestos fiber for use in applying to wire, said method consisting in dotting the fiber in separated flocculent strips from the cylinder of a carding machine, depositing said strips directly upon traveling tapes, and winding the tapes with the fiber thereon upon themselves so as to hold the fiber in place upon the tapes and permit it to be picked from the tapes when the latter are unwound.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY LOWEN.

Witnesses:

WM. J. COULTER, MABEL L. LEFEVRE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

